Battle of Elsenborn Ridge

The Battle of Elsenborn Ridge was one of the clashes between the United States and Nazi Germany during the Battle of the Bulge, occurring from 16 to 26 December 1944 near Elsenborn, Belgium. Sepp Dietrich's 6th Panzer Army assaulted the US 1st Army on the snowy Elsenborn Ridge, with 56,000 German troops facing a mere 28,000 US Army troops. However, the Americans fought bravely, and Elsenborn Ridge was the first location in which the German Ardennes offensive had been halted. US and German lines were often confused in the chaotic battle, but the Americans dug-in and inflicted heavy losses on German armor and infantry, preventing the 6th Panzer Army from breaking through to the Meuse River. While some American units had suffered as much as 80% losses in the battle, they were easily replaced by fresh reinforcements, but the German losses could not be replaced, as they had exhausted their manpower. Both sides lost around 5,000 troops, while the Germans lost 114 tanks.